A common challenge for all managed IT service providers is software licensing control. After all, their clients may use dozens of systems on various machines.
This often leads many MSPs to fail to perform this control, putting their clients at risk due to the use of discontinued or pirated software, and the possibility of legal action.
In this post, we will show you the importance of investing in software licensing control, the types of licenses that exist today, the risks of maintaining unlicensed software, and how validity works in various cases. Happy reading!
Why invest in software licensing?
The use of unlicensed systems, whether due to expiration or the acquisition of pirated software, harms not only the organization’s security but also its performance, since it is difficult to maintain updates from the original licensed version.
Before being released, an application undergoes a series of tests, security certifications, and other activities aimed at ensuring both its ability to meet the demands for which it was designed and information protection.
Furthermore, there is the legal aspect, since software is protected by copyright as intellectual property. Using this knowledge without the proper license can lead to lawsuits and the payment of high fines.
What are the types of licensing?
There are several types of licenses that exist today in terms of software; let’s list some of the main concepts behind them.
Perpetual License
This is one of the most common and traditional licensing models. When you purchase the software, you are entitled to perpetual use of a particular application. However, there are some limitations regarding updates as they are released and maintenance.
Temporary Use License
In this licensing model, the user has permission to use the application for a period of time. This type includes updates made by the developing company, but there is no maintenance.
Free Software License
Free software is always an option, especially for more generic and administrative systems. There are constant updates from the community or company responsible; however, the entire maintenance process is the user’s responsibility, and there is no support.
Open Source License
Open source programs are mostly developed by communities and maintain a usage license that allows for modifications. Any element within the system can be customized, but maintenance is also the user’s responsibility.
SaaS License
Software as a Service, or SaaS, is a system-as-a-service model where the user pays a monthly fee, or for longer-term plans, and during that time enjoys the tools, usually hosted in the cloud.
What are the risks of pirated software?
There are several risks associated with using this type of application, and we can highlight a series of problems to which your company will be exposed:
legal risks from lawsuits;
low application performance;
lack of security and information protection;
long-term system instability;
discontinuation of the version used; Loss of files;
Lack of assistance.
How license validity works
As mentioned, each software license model works differently and has a specific validity period. This is one of the main reasons why MSPs need to control these licenses.
By maintaining effective control and constantly monitoring the software used by your clients, you prevent them from running risks, in addition to fulfilling your role of protecting the information they generate.
This can be done using RMM, remote management software, which can assist in this matter and in several other issues related to managed IT services.
We have reached the end of this post and we hope you have understood how important it is to maintain control over software licensing, thus preventing your clients from running any unnecessary risks.
